Whisper and Change
by Fear-Fades-Hope-Lives-4Eva
Summary: Different situations in the SDS Verse with Kagome, some may be connected, some may not. They will be labeled, if they are. Will be labeled Complete, for now.
1. Don't

Title: Don't Say The Words, Don't Think Them, _Don't_ Touch Me While You Do

Summary: A wish was a painful burden.

IMPORTANT! If you haven't watched Season 2 then there are spoilers! I'm looking at you, Mizu -glares-

* * *

Personal (A little dark) Headcanon concerning the Jewel:

Rather than _just_ the demon of the jewel manipulating Naraku, _both_ Midoriko and the demon have orchestrated events since the creation of the jewel to create the ultimate war that would bring about two powerful foes, one miko (Kagome) and one demon (Naraku) so that they could replace them and they (Midoriko and the demon) would be free. In defeating them, they became imprisoned in Kagome's body but with a twist. With that power now mixed into her, during desperate situations, Kagome is able to hear the thoughts/wishes of those around her but it isn't unless someone touches her with a desperate wish in their heart, that she/they is forced to fulfill that wish.

Should they (the jewel) try and take extra liberties in granting the wishes, it fires back on Kagome's body.

* * *

THIS IS FOR YOU LADYMILKTEA and it _may_ or _may not_ have a second piece I am struggling on it so much ... (there may also be an angsty part to it I haven't told her about, eat your heart out sweet milk)

1 - I have no idea the backstory or how she got there. Not too beat up about it either lol I just really wanted a 'Kagome stops his death' scene. The basic idea was that

2 - There may be hints of shipping but idk how far I want to go into that yet so I shall leave that up to you guys~

3 - If it's not obvious or whatev, the beginning is all thoughts

ONWARDS, TO THE FIC!

* * *

First Scene

'_Captain!' - 'No, don't!' - 'Somebody!' - 'Meliodas!' - 'He's not going to make it!' - 'If only there wasn't a time lag between teleportation.' - 'They can't seriously mean to—' _

_MeliodasMeliodasMeliodasMeliodas_

_Save! _

_Save!_

_Save!_

Kagome stumbled back from the rest of the group and fell to her knees, clutching her head. All of them. They were all so loud. So desperate. Why couldn't they _stop_?!

All of their hearts were screaming, far louder than their minds.

They needed to stop!

She'd told them! _She'd told them!_ A wish was a heavy weight to carry, and the mass of wishes their hearts were screaming buried her, sunk her low to the ground. She yanked at her hair, the strands twisting and tangling.

They stirred inside her and that little movement sat in the back of her mind like the reminder she didn't need. Dug in between her shoulder blades and _itched_.

Soft, fragile, kind hands curled around her own, freeing the painful grip she had on her hair. Her eyes dimmed. A gasp - so loud, so deep - stole away all her air.

'_I wish—'_

Elizabeth stood over her, tears splashing against Kagome's cheeks. In the far corners of her mind, where she was conscious but rapidly losing control, she ached knowing that Elizabeth had stepped away from watching Meliodas in his time of need to see if she was okay.

"Kagome-chan, Kagome-chan, please!" '_someone would—' _

She tore away from the princess's grip, stumbling back against the crumbled wall of Liones Castle. But it was too late. Kagome could feel them. They were already awake.

"Miss Kagome!"

In those last few precious seconds of physical control she had left, Kagome met the desperate golden gaze of Elaine. '_I tried. I __tried__!' _She managed to think.

'_save Meliodas.'_

A chilling laugh echoed in their mind.

"Wait!"

* * *

Meliodas trembled, breath heaving out of him.

"Five."

Estarossa hung the next dagger over him.

A great mass of power exploded into the clearing, sending Estarossa and Ban flying back, throwing Ban through a boulder.

Ban scrambled from the ground, desperate to get back to his friend. But wind pushed against him, forcing him back no matter how hard he dug his feet into the ground. "Dammit! What is this?!"

He turned at the sound of a grunt and made out that huge giant rising to his feet again. There were other faint images as well. Dammit! Dammit! Turning back to the mass of wind cycloning around Meliodas, he took a breath and stepped forward.

Debris picked up as he got closer but surprisingly the wind was no longer pushing against him. Ban narrowed his eyes.

He stopped, shoes dragging in the dirt, when he noticed someone.

"Oi, who are you?"

This was the power source that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Ka… gome?" Meliodas gasped, trying to breath through the pain of five liberion swords piercing his hearts. Kagome stood with her back to him, unmoving but for the wind that whipped around them. This was who he had felt? Looking at her now, he could barely feel the power that came with the explosion just seconds ago. It prickled against his skin, an unnatural heat to it that stung compared to how her power usually felt.

The burn of a Goddess Ark was the closest he could liken it to.

He glanced blearily around him.

This cyclone was definitely her doing though.

"Kagome? As in _our_ Kagome?"

"Can't-can't you tell, Ban?"

"I can't see shit, Captain. Should a guessed you'd be holding up though."

"Aa." Meliodas wheezed, the closest he could get to a laugh in this condition.

"Another of those friends of yours, Meliodas?" That was Estarossa. So whatever he'd been hit with hadn't kept him down for too long.

It was strange, how easy it was to hear everyone over the wind.

"Are they causing this strange wind, too?"

Strange didn't come close.

Meliodas could see Kagome clearly but not Ban. Just feel and hear him.

Ban could only see the dust and Kagome.

Even the Commandments were hindered, unable to see past the Sin that took down Melascula.

Zeldris walked forward while Gloxinia rose into the sky.

"Hmm…"

Nothing changed.

"Anything up there, Drole?"

"No, my magical eye can not penetrate this 'Kagome'."

"Is that woman one of the Sins, Fraudrin?" Zeldris turned.

"No, I don't ever remember meeting her while in Hendrickson either. They must have met only recently or she was elsewhere during our last battle."

Estarossa stood with the others, a burn bubbling and hissing on his chest. "Whoever and whatever she is, she was able to overcome or work around my Commandment."

Kagome giggled. An eerie thing that didn't just carry, it lingered and slowly faded off only after it seemed to overpower any other thought in their mind.

The cyclone died down, rubble cracking as it hit the ground, until it was a simple breeze that tousled everyone's hair and clothes. They all took her in.

Small. Unarmored. _Unarmed_.

She sighed, tilting her face up towards the sky, and it echoed over the clearing. Easily able to hear.

Another giggle escaped her, a twisted smile turning her lips and she swayed side to side slowly. She brought her left arm up and they all saw the burns scorched into her skin.

Ban and Meliodas grew weary. Kagome didn't act like this. The way she was moving was all wrong, almost… inhuman.

The uninjured hand rose, splayed wide, towards Meliodas.

A wretched scream tore from Meliodas when all five swords were ripped out of him.

"Captain!"

Ban stopped short when the blades shot forward, forming a straight line in front of Kagome. He tsked.

Any words he might have spoken, any thoughts that anyone in the clearing might have had, disappeared when she looked down.

Strange, pink energy had overtaken the entirety of Kagome's eyes and spread over her skin in intricate patterns. They pulsed and a faintly visible steam came from them.

"Those… are not demon markings." Grayhead noted as they continued to grow over the human's body. Their glow lit her clothes up from within.

"No, they're not."

"Mmm… look at what _lovely_ toys we get to play with." 'Kagome' giggled, an unnatural resonance to her voice. Overlapping, alternating, intermingling. High, low, deep; so deep it seemed to rumble. It all mixed into an echo that lingered and sunk under their skins.

No one could deny the unsettling fear sitting in the pits of their stomachs.

"What. the. _fuck_?"

Her head turned to Ban, tilting as she seemed to take him in. "Oh? You're an interesting one." She smiled cruelly. "We like you."

"Yeah? Well, whatever the hell you have going on, Kagome, it aint funny."

"Ah…"

He couldn't even instinctively move back when she appeared right in front of him, hands reaching up to wrap around his shoulders and pull him down. Her lips dragged over his cheek, warm breath fanning against his ear. He gripped her sides, ready to push her away when she spoke.

"It's so cute that you think Kagome is still _here_." One hand came up to grip him by the hair and dragged him forward, quickly letting go when he swung out. Ducked under his next and side stepped around with a spin so that she once again had Meliodas at her back. "You missed us~"

"You little—"

"Ban! Stop!" Meliodas gasped, finally managing to sit up. "That's still Kagome, regardless-"

Those pupiless pink eyes turned to him. Burrowing under his skin, sinking past the easy nonchalance he usually hid behind. Then she was straddling him, cupping his face and he hissed at the _heat_ that was coming off her.

"Now, _that_ is a curse, demon child."

His eyes shot open, pulse skyrocketing. How had she-?

Before he could even gain the air to respond, one hand let go to twist around and grab the wrist coming down on them. He blankly gazed at Zeldris over her shoulder.

In the silence that followed, Estarossa's five blades clattered to the ground.

"Piety, hmm?"

Kagome let go of Meliodas completely, sliding her other hand over the bare skin before her. She tilted her head, smiling slowly when he didn't even budge from her trying to pull him closer. "Let's not take the chance."

That same power from before appeared instantaneously, blasting Zeldris away, then receding.

"Now, where were we?" Rock ground together as she turned back to him.

"Killing you."

A barrier appeared around them, pink and translucent, blocking the blade Estarossa had aimed at them. Kagome slid her hands up his arms to grab Meliodas by the shoulders, gripping him hard enough to make him flinch, and leaned back, to stare up at the man.

"Of everyone, We expected some manners of you, Benevolence."

"You are thinking of the wrong Commandment."

"Are we now?" She stood, dropping the barrier and moving to touch him. He grabbed her wrists, squeezing them until they broke. She didn't even flinch. He didn't let go. "We see now."

"Do you?" Estarossa cocked his head at her.

"Yes."

No one expected the strange pink markings to turn black, going jagged and thick, all the way back up to her eyes. Demonic energy _poured_ from her, sinister and putrid in its intent.

"Remember this, Benevolence." That rumble from before dominated the voices coming from Kagome, bones cracking loudly, singed skin smoking, as they healed and expanded in his grip. "Love and _hate_ sit together on a very thin string."

'_At this point,'_ They thought, watching the interactions of these Commandments and the two Sins, '_they really should have expected this.'_

Power so strong, so thick, but without a hint of expected malevolence, once again beat back Estarossa. A darkness seeped through the air, snuffing out the light of the stars and the moon and taking away their sight.

Kagome darted forward before it could brighten, grabbing the timeless one by the loops of his belt and throwing him down next to the cursed one. His blade and arm was thrown between them.

Then they bent down, hands curling around the energy chains that looped back to the multi-headed Commandment that demanded Pacifism. '_Had we the time, this curse would be tested on you, dear guardian.'_ The chains snapped under their power.

The three of them were gone by the time the world lit up with color again.

* * *

Ban was on her before he even realized they'd been taken somewhere else, using his size to overwhelm her until she was pressed back against a wall. Pressed his forearm against her throat, dug in and watched her face turn red and her breath go ragged. But still they did not look away from him.

"Ban, wait!"

Red eyes bore back into hers, rage and desperation and so many other things that whispered to them, lay in the depths. She grinned toothily at him. "You can't be serious, Cap—"

"_Look_, Ban!"

"At wha—" He snapped, jaw dropping when he looked around to see that they were in some abandoned, broken down house. The far wall had been reduced to rubble, furniture crushed, and weeds had grown through all the cracks. "Where in the—"

In his distraction, he let up on her throat, leaving them coughing.

They cleared their throat and said, "Your help, as little as it really was, Sin, is no longer needed."

Ban could only double take before he was gone.

"Where-"

"Back to your friends," The red that had dominated her complexion rapidly began to dim. "The current ones, not the former. Are you comfortable?"

Meliodas relaxed back against the dilapidated bed with a relieved sigh. "So, hey, whoever you are, you gonna let Kagome back out?" He watched quietly as the jagged black markings began to lighten and shrink, leaving just glowing pink to brighten the blue eyes he knew so well. "Yo!"

When she spoke next, there was a slight echo, just enough to make it seem disconcerting in a crumbling house. "This is the best they can do right now. I'm glad you're… mostly okay."

He snickered. "This is nothing. Aren't you going to come over? Don't you want to cuddle and tell me all about… this?" A broad gesture was made at all of her.

Kagome pursed her lips but climbed onto the bed, careful not to jostle it too much. When she reached out to touch his prone form, he grabbed one of her hands and smiled wide when she looked up at him. He only tensed a little when the other settled on his stomach.

"What brought them out? Them, right? They kept referencing you as plural."

She hesitantly nodded, not fighting the semi-tight grip he had on her. "There are two of them and they only come out when certain conditions are met."

"Like?"

Here, Kagome had to look away, had to stare past the broken wall and into the overgrown yard. Ashamed. Hesitant. Expectant. "I told all of you a wish was a heavy burden to carry."

No one really ever understood how dangerous callously saying a wish was. It was a joke, a half-thought phrase. There were nuances to words that people didn't usually think of. She gasped when he tugged her hand, catching herself on him. He carded his fingers through her hair. "Mel-iodas?"

"What wish was made?"

A wry smirk curled her lips. "I'm sure you've already guessed it." She fell to her elbows over him, fingers playing with his hair while she got comfortable, hair falling around them in a curtain.

"Mm!" He agreed, smiling softly as she lightly pressed their foreheads together. "Then why are they still out?"

"The wish was to save you, Meliodas," Kagome tried her best to ignore the warnings from the other two souls, "and the amount of desperation behind it required more than simply getting you away from them." She settled on one elbow to press against one of his bleeding hearts. "You are saved but you are not _safe_."

"And now what?"

His smile disappeared the instant the pink took over again.

"So tense, demon child." They crooned. "Do not worry. We are here to finish the job."

As the power built up again, Meliodas noted that there was a different feel to it now. So he laid there and watched as they sat up in Kagome's body, her hands glowing dimly. He couldn't hold back his grunt when a sharp pain hit him but a second glance down showed all his wounds healing, even his arm. They grabbed it from where it lay, lining it back up, the cut quickly mending and he immediately flexed it.

No pain, just a small twinge from the abused muscles and even that was rapidly fading.

Meliodas coughed up some blood, thick and congealed and spit it up.

"One last thing before we go, little plaything," They murmured, cupping his face and seemingly gazing at something deep inside him before their 'eyes' closed as they smiled. "should any harm come to _our_ Kagome," The pink that decorated their skin gradually darkened again, once smoothly curved lines going jagged. "and we will be sure that not only will you come to realize the Commandments are _child's play_ compared to us but we _will_ keep_ every_ one of you alive _forever_ so that you may see the havoc we sow."

He laughed, licking away some residual blood. "Like she would let you."

Now safe and sound, they could do nothing but withdraw with a parting frown thrown at Meliodas. Exasperated blue eyes stared down at him.

"Always gotta get be smart with people."

"Like you're any different, _Kagome_."

A pretty flush spread over her cheeks but she just shook her head and helped him sit up. His sword she laid in her lap, smacking his hands away when he tried to grab it.

She took a look at their surroundings. "I should go see exactly where we are and figure out a way to get us some new clothes and somewhere to stay for the night. You need the rest, even if your absence is going to freak ev-everyone out."

'_Shit.' _Kagome knew the jewel had pushed it back in that clearing, shrugging off so many of the Commandment's curses but she'd been hoping the toll wouldn't be so high. Already, tremors had started in her legs which meant there would be no walking done today. Not by her, at least.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I just-"

His hand, as light as the touch was, _hurt_ when he grasped her arm. Her sight swam and she collapsed against the broken bed, gasping when the pain spread everywhere.

"_Shit._"

She wheezed and strained to say, "Th-that bad, huh?"

He pulled her back between his legs, arms going tight around her when her arms and legs started to spasm.

"It's-! It's a side ef-eff_ect_," Her body locked up, throat straining as she staved off the scream sitting in her chest. "S-side effect when they try-y! to take too m-many liberties while granting the-the _wish_."

"What do I do?"

"H-hold, hold!" She forced out. "Just hold, h-ho, hold, hold—"

"Okay, okay."

Kagome didn't know how but he somehow got her twisted around and them laid out on their sides, legs and arms trapping her close to him.

"There are bruises appearing all over you, _shit_!"

She managed some choked off, mangled laugh into his chest. "Mm, g-gonna pass, dark… mngh- supposed" Her throat worked, struggling to swallow, "help, care-you, suppo-"

"Sssshh, you did. No matter how it happened, you did. You took great care of me, just don't talk, okay?"

"Mm… _mmm!_" She agreed, unable to stop the tears or the exhaustion that hit.

"Sleep if it'll help. Don't force yourself."

"Mngh-ias … s… bd… iz"

Her eyes fluttered shut, thoughts slipping away.

* * *

Note: Don't judge me. I do have the next chapter of Play done! I just had to get it set up on AO3 as well cuz it is a bit steamy o3o

Note II: I might have missed some grammatical errors! Let me know what you thought!


	2. Walk or Float or Fly

AN: Hey guys, I'm back with another SDS piece like I promised/stated/whatever ;;;;

Dedicated to: Alyssthroughthelookingglass for suggesting Kagome be a fairy (because as much as we love the SDS characters, it's still a little worrisome concerning the huge ass age gaps between them. Not to mention how creepy it is that Harlequin fell in love with Diane when she was a child)

The premise of this story is that:

Everyone knows that the bark of the Goshinboku is used to make the Bone Eater's Well, thus it was the power inherent in the tree that made time travel possible. I like to think that the tree is connected to every world/reality/universe so it isn't just the _well_ that can take Kagome to all these different places.

In this 'verse, the Goshinboku and Fairy King's Tree's wave lengths match up and Kagome awakens within the boughs of trees forest. The way her power interacts with their world was too volatile and she ended up being transformed into a fairy.

A

* * *

A

The shock of calloused fingers touching her bare calves made her wings flutter and Kagome almost dropped her apple mid-bite. Carefully setting it down, she looked back over her shoulder and raised a brow at the sight of Ban crouched over her legs. "What are you doing?"

His mouth twisted and the curious, contemplating gleam sitting in his crimson's eyes spelled trouble. That expression had been the prelude to some of the craziest schemes to affront the other fairies since he decided to stick around.

"Ban."

He blinked up at her and a teasing smirk slid across his face. She almost wanted to roll away from him, would have to, if he wasn't so freakishly long. "_What_ are you doing?"

"Been thinking, Kagome. How come you got so much more muscle than the others around here?"

She blinked. Of all the things him possibly thinking about that would have crossed her mind, it definitely wouldn't have been that. Kagome turned over onto her side and glanced down at her legs, unconsciously pressing one of her bare, dirty feet into the softened muscle. Did it really look firmer than the other fairies? She still traveled around on foot, harvested and gathered food or herbs. The only thing she didn't really do anymore was fight, which was definitely a nice change of pace.

"Do they really look that different?"

He actually had the gall to snort, which made her feel stupid but really, what did he expect? It'd been a good five or six centuries since she saw anyone of any race outside the Fairy King's Forest. She didn't even own pictures of herself when she was younger and human to be able to compare the differences.

"Have you seen yourself next to the others? You might as well be the only buff fairy in existence."

"That doesn't make me feel better, Ban." She deadpanned. Her wings flittered in her irritation, but she refused to let it get to her past that.

He just shrugged and pushed up onto his feet, wandering back over to the little fire they set up was. A spitted boar was roasting over it and her stomach gurgled loudly when she was reminded of the smell. Too bad everyone else was avoiding this little area because of some cooked meat. Some of the fairies still gave her a hard time for having an omnivorous appetite.

After a peek to make sure Ban was still facing away from her, Kagome sat up to prod at her legs then her arms. Did she really look that different? And what if the other fairies didn't see as her as buff like Ban did? What if- "Oh god, I can't believe I'm letting myself get self-conscious like this." She groaned and flopped face down onto her little bed.

"Self-conscious over what?"

That sounded like Harlequin... nah, that was impossible. She burrowed further into her pillow, moaning pitifully.

If there was one person who avoided Ban more than Elaine or Gerheade, it was Harlequin. And that was only because he got irritated at her and Helbram for hanging around him so much.

Hands carded through her hair, scratching lightly at her scalp before they trailed down, stroking behind her ears and giving her pleasant shivers. They tucked under chin and she let them pull her head up, pouting as she opened her eyes.

And blinked once.

Then again.

It really had been Harlequin she heard. He floated in front of her, decked out in the human clothes he'd been inspired to make because of Helbram though he always vehemently denied it. "What are you doing here?"

An interesting expression crossed his face, like he was trying to come up with a convincing enough lie because she recognized that shady little glint in his eyes but also couldn't decide if he should go through with it. Then Helbram popped up from behind him, wearing the most satisfied and smug smirk that she had only seen on him a few times.

"Guess who finally admitted to wanting to try meat~" Helbram snickered, quickly flying up and away from Harlequin before he could retaliate.

Which was not a good idea.

Evident in her shriek when he inadvertently yanked her hair hard enough she slammed her face into the ground.

Bright, burning pain lit up from her nose all the way to her temples to create a mountain of a headache, drowning out the disgust of having blood and dirt grind against her lips and teeth. She cupped her nose, whimpering, and tried to curl up but a large hand grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her while another easily managed to uncover her face. Through the tears pouring out of her eyes, she could see Ban and the other two leaning over her, Harlequin practically crying himself.

Ban tugged her up onto her knees and Helbram nudged her face up for them to see better but it was Harlequin, all soft and hesitant, that gave the first light press near her nose. She flinched back with a hiss.

"K-Kagome, I didn't, I'm-"

"Cool it there, King, it's not broken."

He was right, it wasn't but dammit if it didn't hurt still. She prodded at it herself this time, pooling her power into the tips of her fingers to help soothe the sensitized nerves.

Then sneezed.

She fell back over into a heap. "_F_ucking god, shit-"

Ban and Helbram's cackling laughter drowned out Harlequin's scandalized shout. Her second attempt at healing her nose was more successful, and she gratefully took the damn cloth and cup of water Harlequin gave her to wipe off the dirt and blood. She gargled then spit out the mess in her mouth.

Finally, clean and pain free, she plopped back onto her hands. Ban went back to their food while Harlequin and Helbram sat on each side of her. They watched him work for a few minutes, the silence only broken by the sounds of the forest and the pop of the fire. Kagome wiggled her toes. "So... what were you guys doing here again?"

She rose a curious brow when Harlequin immediately ducked his head, the entirety of his face going red. Was it something she said?

Helbram leaned against her, snickering as he said, "He wants to try the meat."

"Really?!" She held back from jumping on him in her excitement and waited for him to nod, even if it was hesitantly. "Ban's the best person for you to try it out for the first time! He's a great cook!"

"You bet that sweet little ass I am!"

Simultaneously, three different random objects from the forest floor flew and hit Ban.

"Hey, Kagome, what were you guys talking about when we showed up?"

"Hm?"

"You said something about being self-conscious." Helbram helpfully piped in and she made a little 'ah' sound.

She shrugged sheepishly, carding back her tangled hair. "Ban mentioned how much more muscle I have then you guys and I started overthinking it."

"That's because you always walk around so much." Harlequin said and he looked so far from impressed she almost snorted.

"There's nothing wrong with her wanting to walk, Harlequin." Helbram reached across her to punch him in the arm. "We talked about this."

Kagome could testify to that. Even after all these centuries, it was still a strange concept for everyone that she liked to walk.

"Yeah, yeah, but why walk when you can fly." He sniffed haughtily then had the gall to actually float up into the air and do some flips with his hands folded behind his head. She scoffed, tempted to throw something at him next.

Instead — "Oi, Ban." Using Harlequin's cockiness to her advantage, she called the tall man over to whisper something in his ear.

He whistled and turned on Harlequin with a maddening cackle. The Fairy King didn't even have the chance to shout before he was pinned.

"O-oi, get off! You're heavy! Kagome, what did you tell him?!"

Kagome cuddled against a snickering Helbram and stared back at Harlequin from under her lashes, "If you had any proper muscle buildup, you could just push him off and come make me tell you."

* * *

As always, let me know what you think! If there are any errors, let me know! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask~

SEE, I GOT IT UP ALYSS


	3. Don't Ever Be Afraid to Fly

Don't Ever Be Afraid to Fly

* * *

Aaay~ I'm back with another chapter! Had this one written for a bit but went back through the last few days and kind of cleaned it up. Life has been a little hectic, about to lowkey throw away a little over $2k to dental work in a few days cuz my work has shit Insurance. Other than that, just trying to get back into the writing mood, even looked at DIM a few times xD

* * *

So there wasn't too big of an idea for this one, beyond how horrible it was what happened to Helbram and the other fairies. I was also working with the idea that time doesn't work around Kagome right like Kaguya says in the movie while twisting it that as long as she is around _any one_ or _any thing_ with significant power extends her life. It hasn't been decided _how _long she has been in the SDS 'verse just yet but it's been long that the grief is just an old ache at this point.

Also, as much as I hate openings like the one I made for this one, I couldn't not include it.

A

* * *

A

"Get off!"

"Let us go!"

"W-what are you doing?!"

"Don't!"

"Stop!"

"Somebody!"

"Harlequin!"

"Someone, _help us_!"

* * *

Kagome jerked around, the stack of wood she had been lugging back to her little camp clattering to the ground. She let her eyes roam the sky, taking in all the colors and distinguishing the normal blue and white from the energies that caught her attention.

They were faint, barely noticeable, but they were there. Green's and yellow's and pink's all bursting like clouds of powder just over the treetop.

It wasn't the same energy from the human travelers she had passed about a week ago, too bright, too free, but the memory of the unnerving intent they gave off sat at the forefront of her mind.

A hand strayed under her travel-worn coat, to the hidden daggers strapped to her belt.

Should she?

Dirt ground together under her feet as she battled with indecision. But it wasn't _her_ who decided in the end. Her gaze dropped to the forest floor, caught off guard by the tight pressure on her feet, to see roots wrapping around them. There was no ill intent, no active outside force, which meant they weren't being controlled by someone.

It felt like… her tree. The Goshinboku but— older?

Was the forest, or a single sentient tree, encouraging her to go? Asking? Begging?

She couldn't help but glance back at the meager belongings she owned; a simple travel bag and the food she'd caught for the day. Fading, wrinkled, touch worn photographs waiting to be slept with.

There was no one who would miss her.

"_Okay_." She whispered, pushing forward as soon as the roots let go. Brights bursts of energy, green mixed with grey, swirled and swelled as the wind kicked up, blowing from one direction then another before beating against her back, kicking up her speed. Birds burst from the treetops and rodents scurried away.

The forest rapidly quieted.

Whatever was going on, whatever it was that made the forest so uneasy, it wanted as little interruptions as it could get.

She burst from the treeline, onto the main road and saw that, but for some abandoned wagons, it was empty. Then it was gone.

Kagome palmed daggers in each hand, pulse roaring in her ears. Fear, so overwhelming she could feel it trying to burrow its way into her chest, lay thick in the air. '_Almost there.'_

There were other auras, hidden under the volatile energy, and each of them trembled and quaked under the mass trauma they had to be experiencing. Each second that passed, every inch she got closer, she could feel them. Her skin prickled. A gap in the treeline lay almost directly ahead, connected to a path on her right she hadn't noticed. A quick push off that way changed that, leaving behind the forest and making her easy to spot but her range of sight broader.

Instinctively, reflexively, she noted each position of every person. More wagons, some holding traveling cargo and large cages, others littered with cheering soldiers and past them—

Horror clung to the back of her throat, stealing her voice and her grasp on the daggers tightened.

An inconspicuous, most likely abandoned building stood backed by a sheer drop. Boarded windows, door hanging by its hinges.

And in front of it—

Fairies littered the ground, most bleeding from their backs and unconscious - or dead, a traitorous voice whispered - with others still weakly struggling in the hands of humans. Most held up by their throats, wings forced to extend. Swords poised where they connected with the rest of their bodies.

The jagged, rusting edges of her daggers scraped the palms of her hands as she slung them at the two closest soldiers. Four more blades followed suit. She'd already reached back and pulled her short sword from its sheath before the first person turned.

Hot blood hit her arms with the easy slice of an unguarded neck. Then again when she thrust it forward into an exposed section of armor.

The next one tried cutting her down with a broad swipe but she just ducked under it and impaled them on her blade. She used the momentum of pulling out to twist around and meet the blade coming at her back.

Each of them fell to her.

They yelled, tried shouting orders to pen her in but she slipped under their grasping hands and arms, their wildly swinging weapons. Just the roar of her blood, the rage in her mind, and the grief and fear that coated her tongue could possibly contain her right now.

"Impressive and to think you're going to waste such talent on these … _creatures_."

She turned to the last soldier standing; a captain, possibly. Gold armor, green hair and disgusting eyes; she hated him on principle alone. Kagome flicked the excess blood off her blade and stepped forward.

"You mean to come after me, now? You believe you can beat me, child?"

His stance was perfect. He left no openings and his reach was farther than hers, farther than his dead subordinates. Compared to her, armorless and with a short sword, there was more chance of her getting killed. Captured, even.

But she didn't need a weapon to kill him. And no one could afford for him to live. She lowered her weapon and took a step back. It took everything in her not to sneer at the smug smirk that crossed his face. Kagome brought her palm up and pushed her power out in a wave that threw him back and over the cliff.

In the quiet afterwards, she noticed how hard she was panting, adrenaline leaving her trembling. Blood was starting to cake on her skin, congealing where it was thickest. She dropped her sword.

"Y-you…"

Blinking, she turned to where the fairies lay scattered around the clearing. It was like a punch to her gut, the way the air left her at seeing _all_ of them conscious and slowly sitting up. Most of them scrambled back when she made a stumbling step forward and Kagome froze, hands coming up in a placating gesture. "Sorry!" She gasped. "Sorry, I don't pla-I should have asked, I'm sorry."

"The forest..."

One of them stumbled to their feet, green hair matted with blood and dirt. A wound lay on their side, soaking their shirt, but they didn't seem to notice, staring, gaping really. She followed their gaze to see that the forest was indeed acting up still. Roots that had obviously sprung up from the ground were now receding slowly, the trees becoming still again, vines coming to rest around the boughs.

But the forest was calming. She could see the powers, its sporadic energy, calming.

"The forest called you here? A human?" The same one - the _only_ one so far - who spoke before said, incredulous. Having turned to her, she can see that only one wing was fully attached with the other just barely hanging on.

"Uh, yes. Yes?"

"But why? Why would it call a human? Why would it have one save us after it was _humans_ who did this?! What would _your help change now _when our wings are gone and the damage is already done!?" Another screamed, tears cascading down their face. Others cried alongside them, trembling and huddling in on each other, speaking over each other.

It was like being home again, where she was expected to be bigoted and merciless, and they expected her to be the monster in the dark. She bowed her head under the accusations because she knew everything was still too fresh, too new and her kind were the bad guys here.

Kagome took a breath. "I don't know why the forest chose me but, whatever requirements you need from me, I will follow them." She knelt slowly, carefully placing her hands in her lap, fingers curled inward. "But I can heal and if I get to them fast enough, I can help…" Licking her lips, she bowed over her lap. "I can do my best to fix your wings."

Silence but for the crackle of some nearby flames. A fire? From an attack maybe? Even the sniffling and crying quieted. But that was to be expected. A random human, a race they were seeing in a painfully new light, had been sought by the forest, then came to their aid, and was now offering to heal what was sure to be considered impossible.

"Prove it."

It was the fairy, the one who had spoken first, that spoke now and stood in front of her. At least, it sounded like the same one, the clothing matched from what she could see of the clothes and shoes in her peripheral. "Your requirements?"

"Heal what your race broke. Not fix, _heal._"

Her lips thinned but, looking up into those hardened green eyes, Kagome nodded resolutely.

A hand was held out to her and she took it. Looking around, the other fairies seemed hesitant and scared, trying their best to be strong. But, seemingly emboldened by his strength and rage, each of them began to slowly and painfully shed their shirts. The first one she knelt behind trembled, little cut off whimpers heard in the silence of the clearing.

There was a brief thought of asking about where their wings were put but that might cause an uproar. Kagome would rather push herself to regrow their wings then have them believe it was a question meant for personal gain. As she laid her hands upon them and began the slow, painful process, words of comfort tried to push past her teeth but they were choked down.

Any wounds they might have received besides their wings healed up quickly, bruises fading away, cuts closing, scrapes resealing. She swept her thumbs up to sit under their torn wings and resisted the urge to grimace. Kami, whichever one of those soldiers that cut this one's wings off didn't even try and do a decent job of it, just hacked and hacked and hacked.

Kagome poured more of her power into them, soothing the over-sensitized nerves until she could comfortably press down without even a twitch in response.

She closed her eyes, focusing all her senses and reaching down into the very depths of her where a residual amount of the Shikon's power sat. It would be needed to access the muscle memory so she could outline and regrow this fairy's wings.

And for how piss poor the cuts _were_, the regrowth would simply break of any of the damaged parts along the way.

A muscle in her leg spasmed, making her shuffle her knees and feet. Fortunately, the hardest part about doing this wasn't the healing or restoration. _Un_fortunately, staying as still as possible helped speed up the process and her body was already suffering from severe lack of proper nutrition. From the hollow, persistent ache in her stomach to the burn that always lingered in the back of her throat.

Her power stagnated, pulling itself back and catching her attention.

When she opened her eyes, a dazzling pair of wings lay still against the fairy's back. Careful not to touch them, Kagome pulled back.

The hush that fell over the clearing amplified the first flutter the wings made. A flitter next, creating enough of a breeze that the leaves and dirt underfoot became unsettled.

The fairy pushed off the ground with an exuberant shout, wings spread wide as they flew. There was only the smallest, briefest second where they faltered, where she worried she messed up but it didn't happen again.

"You did it."

Kagome peered up at the main fairy again. "I did say I would try." A gentler light had brightened the green eyes gazing down at her. All their auras had brightened in the wake of one restoration but she knew better. It would be a very long time, possibly never, before any real trust would be felt towards humans.

"You can keep going?"

She could but her body might test that. A smile fought its way on her face. Concern was a good first step. "I can."

Giggling and crying, everyone gathered around the healed fairy. They touched every part there had been a wound, a bruise but mostly, their hands gathered at the healed base of the wings.

'_Yes,'_ Kagome thought, taken with the sight of their happiness and bright auras. '_they will heal from this._'

One by one, the fairies came to settle around her. The leader, she assumed, settled directly next to where another of them had already sat in front of her. With a deep breath, she prepared herself for the _ache_ her body would feel like once she was done.

End.

* * *

I do have a little bit written for a continuation of this, not much so it might be a while for a follow up but, there is something there...

Also! As a heads up, I've been thinking about posting these as a series on AO3 so that, if I do plan on continuing any of them, then I can easily just add chapters rather than mark them 'part 2' or 'part 3'. Less confusion that way.

As always! Let me know if you see any errors or mistakes! Thank you so much for reading!


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